Thread: Can you id this Wade & Butcher

I am very fortunate to acquire this beautiful 15/16 near wedge W&B but can't quite make out the etching.
I am confident there are a few on this forum that know what this reads and therefore I will thank you in advance.

a few more pictures of the etch would help. It may be a phrase or old saying, and the heal-most wording would help decipher it.

Originally Posted by Magpie

a few more pictures of the etch would help. It may be a phrase or old saying, and the heal-most wording would help decipher it.

tried different lighting conditions.

Looks like "Old English Text" script

Magnum Bonum. Common phase of the time. Nice razor you have there. Latin 'a great good'.

Originally Posted by karlej

Magnum Bonum. Common phase of the time. Nice razor you have there. Latin 'a great good'.

No wonder i couldn't figure out an english phrase.
thank you Karlej. That should help me gather more info

Yup, "Magnum Bonum", very common on many razors of the time, "Great Good" in Latin.

Here's another....I have at least two I think.

""Yup, "Magnum Bonum", very common on many razors of the time, "Great Good" in Latin.""


So what would the aprox time be of my new acquisition with regular size tang?

Originally Posted by Raol

""Yup, "Magnum Bonum", very common on many razors of the time, "Great Good" in Latin.""


So what would the aprox time be of my new acquisition with regular size tang?

Think around 1860's, newer, the acid wash on the blade face being the indicator, do a search, think theres a few threads on the MB razors, very nice to grab one in good condition, super nice score for you...etching is in ok condition like mine, hard to see on a photo....congrats.

Thanks for the feedback my Canadian Bro'. Can't wait to hone it up,.........You make me feel really good about making this purchase.

Originally Posted by Raol

Thanks for the feedback my Canadian Bro'. Can't wait to hone it up,.........You make me feel really good about making this purchase.

A W&B, "Magnum Bonum" is always a superb purchase, large "branded" razor from an epic time, I would've grabbed it faster than a fat kid on a smarty.

Only thing that bugs me about the later ones with this acid wash, is you really can lose the etch, if you look closely at the one I posted, you can just see the start of the same etch your's has.

Here's another "version", similar marketing type thing, big blade, and something you don't see, a Frederick Reynolds, but instead of the fantastic deep etching, you've got this acid wash technique.

Big difference between the W&B version and this Frederick Reynolds, "The Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor For Barbers Use", you can barely see the etching, while on a W&B, they're usually dark and deep. Look closely and you can see the etching. But it's all but gone now, whereas on any of my W&B's, the engraving stands out loud and proud.